Business Breakfast RECAP: Reaction to North East Business Executive of the Year awards

Hello and welcome to the Journal Business team's morning live blog for Friday, November 11.

I'm Tom Eden and I'm running the live blog this week, to bring you updates on all the breaking business news from across the North East and beyond.

For newcomers to the blog, every weekday morning we cover the latest big stories from the region's business community, as well as national news, FTSE updates and stock exchange announcements from the Journal region's listed companies and national firms - essentially anything and everything from the world of business.

If you'd like to contribute, tweet me at @TomEden11 to share your opinions, or drop me a line at tom.eden@trinitymirror.com

Business chief steps down following Brextit

The boss of building materials firm SIG has stepped down as the company warned over profits following increased competition and a slowdown in activity in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Shares in SIG crashed more than 20% when the London stock market opened.

09:49Tom Eden

International Trade Secretary neglects EU

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has come under fire for failing to make an official trip to Britain’s biggest global trading partner - the European Union.

09:48Tom Eden

FTSE up this morning

The FTSE-100 index at 8:15am was up 2.04 at 6830.02.

09:40Tom Eden

Award 'crowns a very successful year for Kromek'

Kromek’s CEO Arnab Basu was one of 39 small and medium-sized company leaders to join PM Theresa May on the UK-India TECH summit at the start of this week in New Delhi, seeking new opportunities in one of the world’s biggest economies.

Mr Basu said:

“We’re delighted to have received this award, which reflects the tremendous effort and capability of our team.

“It also crowns a very successful year for Kromek as we have received a number of industry accolades, achieved commercial milestones and were honoured to have been part of the UK government’s trade mission to India just this week. We look forward to sustaining this momentum into 2017.”

09:28Tom Eden

'Dirty bomb' detector deal wins award

Sedgefield technology company Kromek has been given a national prize for its far-reaching contract with a US defence agency to supply ‘dirty bomb’ detectors.

The radiation detection technology company, which focuses on the medical, security and nuclear markets, was awarded the prize for Tech Achievement of the Year at the UK Tech Awards 2016, an annual event which celebrates success, rewards achievement and raises the profile of the nation’s tech community.

The event in London saw Kromek’s CEO Arnab Basu take the trophy is front of a crowd of more than 800 of his industry peers, including tech entrepreneurs, chief executives, corporate advisors, investors, tech consultants and commentators.

Kromek, a Durham University spin-out, was recognised for being appointed the sole source supplier to deliver thousands of its D3S personal radiation detectors to the US, detectors which can help identify acts of terrorism such as a ‘dirty bombs’, by sensing the smallest traces of radioactive material.

The voting panel was made up of investors, financial advisors, media experts and business people with specialist knowledge of the tech sector.

09:19Tom Eden

'Commitment to devolution'

A spokesperson for the three North of Tyne authorities confirmed that discussions with the Government were now being sought.

They said:

“The three North of Tyne authorities are clear in their commitment to devolution of powers and funding to the North East, and have begun to consider what could be achieved for our region through working together.

“As part of this, we will seek to explore with Government what may be possible in the fullness of time.”

09:15Tom Eden

NECA split being discussed

Negotiations to carve up the body which unites the region’s seven local authorities have started, we can reveal.

Sunderland Council leader Paul Watson

Officers from Northumberland County Council, Newcastle City Council and North Tyneside Council are currently thrashing out an exit strategy from the North East Combined Authority (NECA).

High level talks have been taking place between officers over the past few weeks about the process of leaving NECA and pressing ahead with a new devolution deal.

09:11Tom Eden

Awards supplement next week

You can get a supplement featuring all of last night’s winners and finalists in the Journal and Gazette on Wednesday.

Don’t forget to pick up a copy!

09:05Tom Eden

Gallery from the awards night

Were you at the North East Business Executive of the Year awards last night?

Have a flick through our gallery, full of the best pictures from the evening:

North East Business Executive of the Year named

North East Business Executive of the Year Awards at the Newcastle Marriott Hotel Gosforth Park, Heidi Mottram chief executive, Northumbrian Water with her exec team

Heidi Mottram has been chief executive officer of the Northumbrian Water Group for six years, during which time she has ensured that it has become much more than a utilities firm, driven by her firm belief that business has a critical role to play in making a positive difference to communities and the environment.

Now Mrs Mottram has been recognised for her huge contribution to North East business as well as the wider community, taking the top trophy at the grand final of the event run by The Journal in association with sponsors Brewin Dolphin.

More than 300 high-profile business leaders were at the awards, where the guest speaker was TV comedian Fred MacAulay.

GatesheadKEY EVENT

Calls for debate about threatened factory

Unions representing 240 people under threat of redundancy at a Tyneside factory have called for their future to be debated in Parliament.

Closure is one of three options being considered for the site - along with its sale and reducing it to a sales and distribution centre - and unions claim owners Ducab have not committed to paying redundancies in the event of job losses.

GMB regional organiser Tom Allison said:

“We’re in a situation where it could mean closure of the company though they are also looking at a sale.

“People are devastated and the company was unable to give commitments about redundancy payments in the event of closure, which is also very concerning.”